Tatad Tatad vs. Sandiganbayan G.R. Nos. L-72335-39. March 21, 19
Facts:
!ntonio d" #os R"y"s, R"y"s, $i#"d a $or%a# r"&ort r"&ort 'ith th" th" L"ga# (an"#, (an"#, (r"sid"ntia# (r"sid"ntia# S"c)rity S"c)rity *o%%and *o%%and +(S*, charging &"tition"r, 'ho 'as th"n S"cr"tary and "ad o$ th" "&art%"nt o$ ()b#ic /n$or%ation, 'ith a##"g"d vio#ations o$ R"&)b#ic !ct No. 3019, oth"r'is" no'n as th" !nti-Gra$t and *orr)&t (ractic"s !ct. !&&ar"nt#y, no action 'as ta"n on said r"&ort. iv" y"ars #at"r, it b"ca%" &)b#ic#y no'n that &"tition"r had s)b%itt"d his r"signation as Minist"r o$ ()b#ic /n$or%ation, 'hich 'as s)bs")"nt#y acc"&t"d by (r"sid"nt Marcos. !ntonio d" #os R"y"s again $i#"d a co%&#aint 'ith th" sa%" charg"s. !n inv"stigation inv"stigation too too &#ac", and a r"&ort r"&ort 'as s)b%itt"d, s)b%itt"d, r"co%%"nding r"co%%"nding th" $i#ing $i#ing o$ charg"s charg"s $or gra$t and corr)&t &ractic"s against th" &"tition"r. ("tition"r %ov"d to dis%iss th" co%&#aint against hi%, c#ai%ing i%%)nity, b)t 'as d"ni"d. iv" cri%ina# in$or%ations '"r" $i#"d 'ith th" Sandiganbayan against &"tition"r Tatad. ! %otion to )ash th" in$or%ation 'as %ad" a##"ging that th" &ros"c)tion d"&riv"d acc)s"d o$ d)" &roc"ss o$ #a' and o$ th" right to a s&""dy dis&osition o$ th" cas"s $i#"d against hi%. /t 'as d"ni"d h"nc" th" a&&"a#. Issue:
4h"th"r th" &ros"c)tions #ong d"#ay in th" $i#ing o$ th"s" cas"s 'ith th" Sandiganbayan had d"&riv"d &"tition"r &"tition"r o$ his constit)tiona# constit)tiona# #ight to d)" &roc"ss and th" right to a s&""dy dis&osition o$ th" cas"s against hi%. Held:
6S. Long d"#ay in t"r%ination o$ th" &r"#i%inary inv"stigation by th" Tanodbayan in th" instant cas" $o)nd to b" vio#ativ" o$ th" constit)tiona# right o$ th" acc)s"d to d)" &roc"ss8 nd)" d"#ay in th" cond)ct o$ &r"#i%inary inv"stigation can not b" corr"ct"d irst#y, th" co%&#aint ca%" to #i$", as it '"r", on#y a$t"r &"tition"r Tatad had a $a##ing o)t 'ith (r"sid"n (r"sid"ntt Marcos. Marcos. S"cond#y S"cond#y,, d"&artin d"&arting g $ro% "stab#ish "stab#ish"d "d &roc"d) &roc"d)r"s r"s &r"scrib" &r"scrib"d d by #a' $or &r"#i%inary inv"stigation, inv"stigation, 'hich r")ir" th" s)b%ission o$ a$$idavits and co)nt"r-a$$idavits co)nt"r-a$$idavits by th" co%&#ainant and th" r"s&ond"nt and th"ir 'itn"ss"s, th" Tanodbayan r"$"rr"d th" co%&#aint to th" (r"sid"ntia (r"sid"ntia## S"c)rity S"c)rity *o%%and *o%%and $or $inding $inding inv"stig inv"stigation ation and r"&ort. r"&ort. Th" #ong d"#ay d"#ay in r"so#ving th" cas" )nd"r &r"#i%inary inv"stigation cannot b" :)sti$i"d on th" basis o$ th" $acts on r"cord. Th" #a' +(. +(... No. 911 911 &r"scrib"s a t"n-day &"riod $or th" &ros"c)tor &ros"c)tor to r"so#v" a cas" )nd"r &r"#i%inary inv"stigation by hi% $ro% its t"r%ination. Tho)gh th" &"riod $i;"d by #a' is %"r"#y
